


Sick Days

by Puck_Monger_99



Series: Window Shopping [3]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Dallas Stars, Genius!Tyler, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-20
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-13 21:18:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3396707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puck_Monger_99/pseuds/Puck_Monger_99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler didn't want this to be a dead end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sick Days

**Author's Note:**

> Remember those days in college when you never actually got a full night's sleep?

"Brownie, who the fuck is Steven Teller?"

There was a pause on the line. 

"Seriously?" Brownie yelped. "No hello?"

Tyler pinched the bridge of his nose, gritting his teeth painfully. 

"Hi. Now who is he?"

"Come on, Ty, don't be such an asshole-" "WHO IS STEVEN TELLER."

Cash barked, coming out from beneath the couch to run around Tyler's legs excitedly. Tyler Brown was one of his best friends, they pretty much shared everything, so it made sense that Brownie would remember something he did not. Ty's parents didn't know anything, his sisters wouldn't care, and Harry wasn't much help either. Tyler didn't want this to be a dead end. 

"I don't know who that is, Ty." Brownie's voice was small, and Tyler suddenly felt guilty for screaming at him. 

"I just...it's alright, man. I'm just stressed out," He sighed. "I'm sorry."

The days wore on. He got to play once the brace disappeared, and after he'd had two weeks more of physically therapy. He kept reading the journals, the ones he could understand, but everything stopped making sense past the stuff he could visualize. He finally enrolled in language courses at a local college. 

His marks were high, and he was closer to understanding things. At least, he could only hope so. 

There were only a few side-glances from Ruff and his teammates at his extracurricular, but there was always one or two who came knocking every so often.

"Morning, Kari." Tyler looked him over from his doorway. The big Finn gave him a brief smile, tilting his head forward only just so. Tyler grinned wide. Kari knew how to get the things he wanted without trying too hard.

They settled into the kitchen, two labradors snuffling around like both men were totally new to them. Tyler opened the fridge. His hands wrapped around a protein shake he'd made the night before, and he set it on the table.

"How are you?" 

Kari hummed. "Fine." 

"Would you like breakfast?" Tyler, ever the polite host, went about making it before he even got a reply.

"Coffee would be nice, thank you." 

Tyler put on a fresh pot.

"What brings you here so early on a Saturday?" Kari gave him a knowing look. "I mean, Mikko and Abbe are probably missing you already." 

"Why did you enroll in a college?" Kari deadpanned. Tyler's mouth clicked shut. "You know you don't have enough time to take classes, and I've never known you to be particularly academic." Kari reached out and accepted the steaming mug gingerly. 

Tyler turned his back on Kari, staring out the window and closing his eyes. He let the grey-blue glow of early dawn wash over his face, thinking of the journals that lay scattered over his bed and dresser. The fatigue of school and sleepless nights and dead ends caught up to him, and he just fell into himself, bracing his forearm against the countertop so he wouldn't fall. Kari didn't say anything, just let him have his moment. His skin suddenly felt stretched too tight against his bones, like a drum, and Kari just sat there waiting.

"...I'm trying figure myself out." He finally mumbled, almost too quiet to hear himself. 

A big hand curled around the back of his neck, and he jumped. Kari looked down at him with hidden concern, mouth twitching into a frown as he held him up. 

"Tyler, don't work yourself too hard." Kari pulled him into a hug, an outreach to his young friend, but it took Tyler a moment to relax. His hand balled into the fabric of Kari's shirt, and pulled him closer. It was a gentle moment that made Tyler feel sicker than he already did.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos appreciated!


End file.
